1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of fiber optics, and in particular to improved connectors for multicore optical fiber cables.
2. Background Art
The ever increasing demand for high-density, high-speed parallel optical data links for super computers, data centers, and the like, has spawned significant interest in passive optical devices designed to facilitate reliable, cost-effective deployment. In multi-channel parallel links for super computers and data centers, thousands of optical links may be utilized, commonly operating at transmission rates in the range of 1 Gb/s to 10 Gb/s.
In conventional configurations, one-dimensional parallel optical links typically utilize a 1×12 multimode linear array of fibers, with each fiber serving as a separate channel. In this arrangement, the fibers, which are typically on a 250-μm pitch within a ribbon, are terminated into a molded multi-fiber ferrule, such as a mechanical transfer (MT) ferrule. The MT-terminated fibers are then used to make connections between multi-channel VSCEL and PiN photodetector arrays. For applications requiring a more rugged assembly, jacketed fibers, typically in a ribbon configuration, are terminated within MT ferrules that are then placed inside MT-RJ, MPO, MTP™, or MPX Connector Housings, to produce robust patch cords.
For even higher densities, manufacturers terminate fibers into 2D-array MT16, MT24, MT48, MT60, or MT72 ferrules. However, high-density configurations assembled using standard single-core fibers have proven to be extremely expensive to produce, since achieving physical contact between all of the fibers, when two connectors are mated, requires very precise control of the polishing process to ensure co-planarity, particularly in variants having a large number of fibers, such as a 72-fiber ferrule.
As an alternative, to provide the high densities required, a multicore fiber (MCF), can be used in connectivity products (i.e. simplex connectors, multi-fiber connectors, and V-groove arrays) instead of single-core fibers. Using multicore fibers allows the number of channels to be increased significantly, while optimizing space and minimizing component costs. However, aligning the cores of fibers with circular cross sections can present a challenge, requiring relatively expensive continuously tunable connectors or special alignment methods.